RWBY: Infestation
by daemoniclover24
Summary: Dr. Ariel Handson is granted a second shot at life, though means she has yet to comprehend. Yet no matter how irony strikes at her, if there is one quality Terrans and Zerg superbly share, it is the deeply rooted demand to survive. By any means necessary. (Indefinite Hiatus)
1. Chapter 1

Dr. Ariel Handson knew something was wrong the instant she drew breath. The air was fresh and tinged with salt, a gush of wind settling into a breeze as she blinked away the haziness of her vision as the darkness that enveloped her vision. Tiny white specks laced the black sky, the moon irrevocably shattered upon a double take. No planet she knew of heralded such a unique, broken satellite but conceded that she was no space rusher. Yet, it defied all science. The situation itself shouldn't be. Shouldn't exist.

It was wrong because, by all rights, she should be dead. No more than a husk of infested flesh and bone riddled with too many of those damn bullets to breathe, let alone still be alive. The how and the why were muddled, blurred even. Memories refused to answer her call.

As much as she'd love nothing more than to ponder the prospect of her liveliness, Ariel considered herself a practical woman. Science accepted little else after all.

Her tail hefted as her body lifted upwards, fresh and strong carapace doting unnaturally potent muscle from her form. Mandibles flinched as she drew in a deep breath, before exhaling with a slow calmness.

That's right. Infested. That's what she was. A product of the Zerg's unending need to assimilate. Human's weren't exactly an exception to that rule. Nobody was. It was hard, so hard to remember what happened.

But the past was for later. The environment seemed tropical if her senses were to be trusted. The salted breeze was back again, dancing with her brown hair with glee. An ocean? Clementine narrowed behind framed glasses.

Oceans surmised two distinct possibilities. An island, or a coastline. Or both if the said island sported a large enough mass.

A snapped twig alerted her, fired up the infested doctor's senses into overdrive, brandishing claws and a low hiss as she crouched down an admittedly feral pouching position. Her tongue licked her mandibles as the shrubbery shifted and grumbled to reveal...

Ariel's felt her eyes widen like saucers as she took in the site. It was a infested medic, but by the gods she was in a terrible, terrible shape.

Perhaps it was the knowledge of understanding she would not be the only infested upon this... place, for lack of better being able to identify where exactly this 'place' was. Perhaps it was her naturally inclination as a Doctor. Regardless, Ariel's armored feet clawed into the dirt as she rushed to aid the now stumbling infested medic, barely in time to stop her from falling. The weight was immense, Ariel's swiftly but gently sliding her down to the soft dirt without delay. Her mind blazed, thoughts blinking in and out in a rush. She needed, no, pleaded for help. Orange orbs met orange and it was there Ariel understood.

This medic. This Infested Terran, did not wish to die. Her name was Emily. How she knew that was for later.

Ariel went to work immediately, advanced medical knowledge from years cramped in medical school shoving her forward. Ariel grasped the still active nano-boosted syringe healer fused to the medic's armor encrusted arm. Bones and metal cracked as she aimed Emily's own arm towards her center, where the mainstay of the damage evident as blood oozed to from it's rightful confines. Ariel suddenly understanding exactly why the medic could not heal herself. Her arm was not broken, it was shattered. The pain would be unbearable for most, but somehow Ariel doubted Emily was in too much pain. Ariel felt Emily's gratitude, no matter how it was possible, it was a welcome appreciation nonetheless.

Ariel once again blessed her expertise in the other fields other than healing. CMC Power Armor was a marvel of Terran ingenuity, and she more of less understood it's inner workings. Yet for all the good it got her, the infestation occupying the young lady's suit did little to help her understanding. The injector mechanism was located upon her forearm, though the syringes themselves were absolutely loaded with smaller Zerg creature, swimming about in the tubes like some kind of monstrous tadpoles. It took the better part of two minutes before progress was made. The sound of shallow breathing and fumbling of metal was hardly ignored. Then a clicking noise ramped up, small but noticeable. The good doctor readjusted Emily's arm so it was more of less directed as herself. Ariel shifted her grasp as Emily's mind mentally pulled the trigger her own salvation in the form of Nanoboosted syringes erupting from her arm, whatever bio mechanical contraption receiving the link from Emily's mind to heal.

A blaze of green erupted from the syringe, nanomachines and very-tiny Zerg tadpoles bubbled in pockets of green exploded into action. Injured Terran and Zerg flesh twitched in pain before suddenly growing in potent rapacity. Surprisingly, hunks of tattered armor also merged back into, somehow growing back into place. The once smaller Zerg must have merged with Emily's infested flesh, for Ariel could spot no sign of them.

With a release of breath Ariel did not know she withheld, Ariel slowly unclasped the infested medic's arm, darting her eyes over her one last time as the medic's own bizarre equipment repaired the damage, the Zerg biology coursing through her system doubtlessly helping speed up the process.

Ariel had so many questions to ask, yet she knew that asking such questions would be baffling at best and, with her luck, insane at worst.

Ariel shifted her gaze up, admiring the night sky. Would this sun's UV radiation harm them just as it had the other Infested? Ariel was far from willing to test the theory. With a grunt, Ariel slid her carapace body beneath Emily's own without delay, heaving with the additional weight of biomass and metal as the medic silently willed herself along to Ariel's plan. The infested doctor's locked eye's briefly.

"We need shelter." An understatement but no less true. Her glasses gleamed in front of glowing orange hued eyes as she spotted mountains in the distance. They weren't far, barely an hour's walk at best. Her patient had offered no comment. Mountains likely meant caves. Caves meant safety.

"Can you walk?" Without assistance, but the meaning was understood. Emily's headed nodded, twin appendages each tipped in a single sharp spine lifted briefly. Good.

With probably too much care, Ariel removed herself from the now standing medic. Ariel briefly adjusted her mandibles to close, eye's scanning over the heaving hulk of metal muscle that was Emily.

They shared the same clementine eyes that much was certain. The CMC Power Armor wasn't so much in ruin as it was overgrown. Zerg biomass slathered most of her in thick brown. Spots of white were few and far between, but it was there. Her tainted red cross gleamed proudly despite itself. Tendrils akin to most infested groped the exterior armor plating, moving as if only to ensure itself that it was indeed still alive.

The combat shield was actually very impressive. Its original status was quite protective, no doubt. It protected and saved just as many lives. Ariel suspected the combat shielded boasted more armor then there more gun driven counterparts to compensate for a medic's lack of weapon.

But now? It was damn near a battering wall with spikes. Zerg flesh tottered on its surface, thick brown flesh and tough chitin overlapping once pure white metal in an effort to defend itself and the woman hosting them. Earnest spikes stuck out from its middle and down, giving Emily's a well worth chance of knocking some heads around. Ariel approved.

Ariel chimed herself mentally. She could walk and run if need be. That was all that mattered for now. Emily stayed her silent vow, but somehow, she got the sense the other Doctor agreed. Strange really.

And with that in mind, the journey for shelter was underway.

 _•∆•_

Ariel had time. Night time stroked it's prime and with that came a sense of comfort unfamiliar to the former Doctor. Humidity blanketed the thick foliage without remorse. It didn't bother her. And Emily actually seemed to find happiness it it's wet warmth.

Taking point wasn't a bad idea. She was smaller, more agile than Emily's imposing bulk. But this action carried with it the pretense of danger. Infested or not, Ariel valued caution over all else. She liked to think Emily would agree.

Speaking of, the armored medic was looking quite well for herself. Infestation aside, the defensive joints and plates broached a fresh paint job along with the fleshy reinforced carapace that grew upon it like a hungry moss that just found the perfect host, the Zerg flesh night cancerous in it's growth as it worked it's way in and out. Tendrils blessed with carapace protection and piercing tips caressed over the hardy regenerative armor plating that entombed Emily's body, with all but her eyes shrouded in shadow. It's concealment birthed from the angle of the overrun interior, covering all put the upper portion of her face, exposing the same orange eyes Ariel herself shared, touched by an a small strand of braided blonde hair.

Ariel did not know where the woman underneath started and the armor ended. But she held her tongue. It was probably a rude gesture to ask. Ariel wasn't even sure if Emily herself knew.

The hike was ultimately uneventful. Not a single sliver of of untamed life. Trees and leaves faded to torrents of untouched sands. It was cold, but again, irrelevant. Ariel smiled as the typical Viking phrase sung true, fortune favoring their small exploration with a cave. It was wide, not to talk and looked deep enough. The fact that Ariel could see deep into the cave at her current distance despite the pitch blackness of night was as atonishing as it was alarming.

As the Infested duo neared the hopefully natural rock formation, Ariel glanced back up at Emily. The gesture was understood. No words were exchanged. They weren't needed.

Emily took point this time, her heavy shield armor hoping to bash and protect if it's pulsing was any indication. Ariel followed like a shadow, lingering upon the cave walls with a quietness a Spyling would envy.

Minutes ticked by. When the cave end was reached without their progress contested, the small excitement of anticipation Ariel hadn't even noticed before dwindled. Is this what Infested feel when they fight? Pleased happiness from prolonged combat Ariel mentally chuckled. For all her work in attempting to cure the hyperactive virus, she likely only contributed to making it stronger. It was irony at its finest.

Emily fell with the grace of a blind Ultralisk, the ground shuttering at her impact. Ariel say next to the Infested medic, not tired but not quite as a active as she felt earlier. Like she was missing something. But what?

It didn't matter. Not now. Emily looked... perhaps slothful? She was awake, alive and aware. Just muted. And slower with her moments as she shifted into a sitting position. Ariel clicked her mandibles, the noise echoing through the cave.

"...Are you okay?" Ariel's concern became known, needed or not.

Emily's nod was so small Ariel wouldn't have noticed it if not for her perceptive vision.

Good. "That's good."

A thought erupted suddenly in the Doctor's mind. She voiced it not a second later.

"Do we need food to survive?"

That got a response. Emily's glowing orbs shifted to stare into Ariel's. She didn't know how, but Ariel felt the older medic's concern. How she knew that too was a question for another time.

Food had potential for problems, hence the concern. Should they hunt? Look for food? All of this assumed they needed it. So did they? Ah, the question repeats itself.

Ariel had no idea. Emily probably didn't either. They weren't human. Not anymore. Half Zerg, Half Human. Hybrids. Monsters.

If didn't think they needed food for prolonged survival. Then again, Infested Terrans exactly weren't meant for longevity. The weight of that single fact alone broke Ariel's heart.

What purpose did a Zerg not meant to survive have? What was their end goal? What reason did they exist past the simplicity of fighting and dying in droves, desperate for their death to have an impact.

Was that her fate? A once astute scientist and doctor destined to plummet into the pits of inevitable self-destruction?

No.

No. It couldn't be.

A spared glance at Emily held nothing, but this woman, this reverse killer, was just as much a doctor as she was. Infestation didn't change that.

The will to live was strong with her. It was a beacon for the distraught Ariel, a binding of sorts.

Emily wanted to live, to survive. It was all Ariel needed.

She would survive. Infested we're not like other Zerg. Humans we're special. Humanity was it's own species no matter the form. They weren't so easily assimilated. They were unique enough to herald their own sub-species of Zerg. Not binded, not bound to some all-encompassing hivemind, nor enslaved by a greater imposing well. Controlled, yes, but they could survive without it. Infested did not require overriding will to stay sane. It just helped give them purpose. Zerg needed control less they slaughter each other. Infested didn't kill each other, unlike the Zerg. Not naturally. It was a petty victory perhaps but Ariel would take it nonetheless.

Even as a human, there was never a end goal, just a happy go lucky philosophy that lived an extremely short life span.

Yet, if the Infested were Zerg and at the same time not, then everything ultimately swung back around to Ariel's original question.

What was her purpose?

"There isn't one..." the glass adorning woman whispered, not noticing Emily's attention was drawn.

"There isn't one!" Ariel beamed, smiling as well as her mandibles would allow. Emily spoke not words, nor did she communicate her thoughts, but that was fine.

Ariel was happy. She would make her own goal, her own purpose. She would survive, learn, adapt and grow in a way no human or Zerg would ever be able to.

It was a rather fantastic sensation to feel.

The pitch-black walls of the caves vibrated with quiet laughter as a distraught doctor and her quiet companion now sought to fulfill a reason to live for no one else but themselves, and their futures.

* * *

 _AN: Hey hey guys. Firstly, sorry for the mix up if you have witnessed it. I was uncertain which account I wished to post this story on (I have two). Figured that since this is a fresh start, I'd post this on a fresh account. I feel the need to just point out that some of these early Chapters have already been pre-written in advance. I stopped a short while due to irl complications, so forgive me if some of the writing it's up to par. In my opinion, it is… satisfactory, but I do promise the writing should be better over time. That being said, this was somewhat inspired by_ _ **Coeur Al'Aran**_ _but in this particular instance, I have no direct references. Check him out regardless. His plots are well structured and his writing well enough to hold your attention. This idea is mine originally, but his writing style made me think of certain factors I hadn't considered earlier. Ugh, this has taken far too much of your guys time, so without further ado, hope you all enjoy!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Holy lavender tater tots, this is sensational! Glad to see this is so well received so far, it really makes me happy. Feel free to Review, so I know your thoughts on this little project of mine! Without further ado, enjoy~!_

* * *

Witnessing the day break anew was a sensation Ariel never dreamed she would dread. A new day meant many things. A fresh start. Another opportunity. Anything but the terrified possibly that nature's greatest light would be the end of her. And Emily too of course.

Why did they even have to leave? Couldn't they just stay here, live as cave dwellers? That'd be fine right? Right? No need to go outside during daylight!

What did Emily think? Parted mandibles clicked again. Emily was still growing creep. A rather unexpected development Ariel woke up to. Imagine her surprise and shock when the once hard and somewhat uncomfortable cave floor was slathered in thick glops of Creep. It was comfortable though. Cool and soft, like a chilled blanket. The revelation wasn't quite as disturbing as Ariel wished.

It wasn't alot of creep, barely extending 7 feet in a circle around them. But Creep was a super organism. It needed a strong vector or some sort of loci to grow. Studying the now-waking Emily, the creeped seemed to leak from between the "cracks" of her armor, flowing like thick slosh with the consistency of distrubed water. Emily, or at the very least her power armor, was a creep generator.

Yet it's creation was only thanks to Emily's... well, Ariel didn't know. The silent medic had no trouble letting her elation show but it didn't really answer the "how" that Ariel really wished to know. Just what made Emily such a good foci for Creep? Better yet, what inside her suit produced the Zerg's favorite meal? Regardless, Ariel instinctively shoved the really slimy but tasty goop into her mouth without hesitation. And as odd as it look it was quite tasty.

Was it the fact that Emily was an infested medic that caused such growth? The advanced medicines and healing agents in her CMC Power Armor along with the Zerg growth covering most of her suit prime breeding grounds for Creep production? In the end, it likely carried little relevance. Emily was a suitable host for Creep. That would probably come in handy for later...

As far as distractions go the infested doctor was out of ideas. They needed to leave and the simple fact was that meant going into the sun.

Whoever said praise the sun needed to be burned and charred.

Emily probably agreed.

After detaching from the Creep that served as bedding, Emily shuffled behind Ariel with an pep in her step out of place for one of her mass. The Creep seemed to squirm about but showed no signs of receding. The cave's dampness more than an optimal sustainer for the Zerg super organism. Satisfied and rested, the duo headed to the cave entrance.

The moment of chance has come. The cave entrance was still unimpeded by nothing by sand.

And the sunlight, along with all it entalded.

Ariel glanced at the area of light that pooled into the cave, her body just inches from touching it. Emily placed a firm hand on the very nervous doctor in support, moving it to join her own infested arm with Ariel's. Three clawed talons weirdly laced with metallic fingers.

She gulped and closed her eyes. Together then. Their arm's pulled back. As if ready to deliver a final punch. Anxiety rooted itself.

Nothing ventured...

With a swift swing, the Infested duo harshly extended their arm's into the sunlight.

Nothing gained...

A moment passed. Then it blossomed into a few seconds. Still nothing.

Ariel opened her eyes and felt... nothing. Saw nothing. No pain, no blistered skin, no melting flesh...

This relationship between Infested and Giant Star wouldn't be as cancerous as Ariel once feared.

Praise the sun?

More like fuck the sun.

Emily agreed. Vehemently.

* * *

The sun was beaming and the sands were probably scalding. Hot air gushed into the open cave entrance. Hear blasted ought chitin in waves, each seemingly hotter than the last. And yet for the discomfort is caused her, Ariel couldn't bring herself to feel upset. It didn't cause her pain, nor did it bring death. And that was a miracle in itself.

A new discovery was made after all. Two actually. Firstly and most unexpected was Emily's capacity to generate a fairly small amount of Creep. It was edible too, as Ariel discovered. Emily probably ate her fair share of of oozy slime-flesh but not visibly. Maybe her mouth didn't work? Perhaps that was why Emily had yet to speak. Though Ariel doubted this to be the case. Asking Emily such private questions was out of the question. Life saver or not, information was much more forthcoming when volunteered willingly. So for now, patience was key.

The other discovery, and the most dreaded by far, was that sunlight did not harm them.

All in all? It was a fantastic morning to wake too.

Still. Questions still bounced about that really needed answering. They answered the most important, but not the most immediate of curiosities.

So... What now?

After a brief one-sided conversation, their recourse had the duo backtrack to where they originally met. The jungle. Ariel suggested they be on the look out for any signs of life, intelligent or otherwise.

Emily was reluctant. She questioned why they shouldn't wait till' nighttime for them to explore. How it was possible they could be seem easily in the daylight. How vulnerable they would be.

Ariel's responded by essentially stating they needed to at least get the lay out of the land and while yes, they had complete night vision and we're probably safer at night, it was important to "experiment"... and later admitted that in her excitement the thought of traveling at night wasn't at the forefront of her thinking.

Emily mentally sighed to herself. A big flaw that really needed to be addressed.

So, in the end, a decision for travel was made, specifically. when. Retreating back into the cave and away from the heat, the two Infested terrans fell upon their small Creep pool and rested once more, Ariel slipping over her glasses and placing them gently on a nearby rock.

With a plan set in motion, Ariel snuggled with the gooey purple pillow in earnest, a smile somehow managed despite her parted lower jaw. Pleased with herself at the anticipation of exploring literal uncharted territory. Just the mere thought filled the glass wearing infested with giddy joy

It was scientific dream come true!

* * *

Creep would be a welcomed sight to return to, yet for now, time favored the Infested. Nighttime's cold grasp lingered upon this planet, sunlight a bitter memory for however long the present allowed. Replaced by the shattered moon's pale light.

The desert heralded little growth, sand dunes festering upon one another in childish squabble to become the best and highest sand dune. Unaware of how their fates purely dangle from the wispy fingers of the cold night breeze.

Cold air bleed and died at the hand's of a pervading jungle sweat, the frigid desert temperatures suddenly wary of the Jungle's much more humid outcast. Ariel took a bit of self-satisfaction in her happy ability to see in the darkness completely. The irony of her wearing glasses despite their shriveled uselessness was not lost upon her.

As the destination of the duo's first encounter with each other neared, a sensation seared through flesh and mind in a primordial manner. Bestial desire to _kill_ flared deep within, Ariel barely aware of anything else but the source of the dark desire.

Only then did it reveal itself. Two if Ariel's clementine orbs were to be believed. Black furred figures that married the shadow perfectly, burning crimson eye's glaring with hatred. Masks of pure white shielded their 'faces' and bony plating confidently protecting the joints of these wolf-shaped beasts. A mind splintering rage was barely contained in them, a rage that would phase the bravest of humans. Yet it was in conflict. The two Infested doctor's experienced a brobdingnadian need to satisfy the need to _take_ what must be taken, to _evolve_ into something more than what they were. To _assimilate_ what must be theirs.

A stand off reigned. Mindless hatred against mindless desire. One will consume the other and one will no longer exist. Nature would not allow both. Neither side would not allow the other to live.

The Infested claimed dibs on First Strike. Emily leaped forward with a speed that physics should not allow, her momentum resisted by a counter pounce that ended in failure, the black beast tumbling backwards with her shield shifted into a more... offense role.

Snarling a unintentional warning, was upon Ariel swiftly, the former terran dashing to the side to avoid powerful claws. Unlike Emily, she would not have the luxury of brute strength. It roared as it readied for another strike. Ariel unshackled a screech of her own, this time ready for it's strike. Just barely avoiding the bony claws, Ariel dug her own infested claw's deep into black fur drawing a howl of pain.

Her brief victory was not celebrated, her form twisting unnaturally, jumping back a few paces to avoid it's vengeful bite. It snarled at Ariel, drool leaking from it's maw like blood from an open wound. The pain it felt was a drug for Ariel, the battle quickly dissolving quite literally into a slaughter. Every clash and snap greeted only air, Ariel nimbly dodging it's efforts, not always successfully, and administering punishment with sadistic satisfaction. The beast's efforts ended in futility as it fell to it's many wounds with glee, Ariel baring her fair share of injuries but she was a bill of health in comparison to her slowly disintegrating foe.

The battle's conclusion favored the Infested. Emily long since ended her foe. CMC Armor, infested or not, was nothing to laugh at. But for all her might, Ariel insisted she not interfere. So interfere she did not.

"So... that was... eventful." A disgusting understatement. "What now?" A silly question.

The desire still burned, but it's raging inferno dimmed to a small house fire. Still... though dissolved in body, taking most of what Ariel wanted with it, traces of it's essence lingered about. Hating in silent cries. It needed to be consumed.

So it was.

Streaks of red cried out in alarm as both Ariel and Emily experienced such _pleasure_ in absorbing such rage-fueled energy into their bodies. The emotion behind the beast's was strong but irrelevant. It served the purpose Ariel hoped. It sated the desire. The hunger.

Then the change's started sprouting. Her vision blurred.

Maybe it was in that moment Ariel understood what the burning desire was. What it's title was. For all her intelligence, it was comical at how the epiphany dawned as it spelled itself out just as it occurred.

Emily shuttered.

The complexities of evolution called. It would not be denied.

It clung to her like wet tissue paper. Time became a background noise, lost from focus. Sensations that rivaled the sweetest of ecstasy stuffed her mind to the brim. Sloshing about. Ariel feared her mind wouldn't hold it all. The human rational part of her mind long succumbed to bombardments of pleasure.

When it ended, Ariel didn't know. But it reached it's climax nonetheless. It felt so wrong, oh so very wrong, yet it felt so sweet. Like indulging in the most purest of sins. In honesty, Ariel briefly thought herself a fool. She carried the mindset of a perfectly normal human woman. Or, tried to in her efforts. But she was far from human. She was Infested. Her body slathered in thick chitin plating, mouth mutilated into a twisted mockery only a Hydralisk would kiss, and glowing dark orange orbs happily replacing her formerly human eyes. Her claws, her once soft human hands, likely did not deserve the choice to be called anything less than a registered lethal weapon. It is hardly a wonder how most Infested shredded through even the thickest of protective platings with time.

The more pooled into her body, the more she realized how utterly inhuman she'd truly become.

Speaking of, she was definitely bigger. Muscles bulging desperately underneath thick chitin, the latter fitting snuggly over the former. Spikes of bony plating erect from her brown hued exoskeleton.

Ariel steadied herself along a tree. Was she taller too? It was hard to tell. She didn't know how much she'd changed. Maybe Emily-

"Emily!" Ariel shrieked. Her frantic gazes showed Emily on her knees, kneeled over in what appeared to be more mental taxation than exhaustion. But alive and well. It was clear change called to her as well, but until Emily recovered fully, her own mini evolutions change would remain an unclaimed mysteries.

Still... they couldn't rest here. Emily was showing signs of getting her barings together, already beginning to show signs of recovering. That was good. Nighttime was not infinite. Even if this planet's brightest star failed to turn them into ash and dust, it's brightness was not exactly well equipped for concealment. Monsters such as them didn't need exposure. Returning to the cave was a safe bet, but Ariel had doubts they truly needed such an overtly cautious maneuver.

If events did not stack up in their favor burrowing was certainly an option. Likely the safest too.

"Emily. Emily!" Ariel kneeled beside her, firmly placing a powerful claw on the overgrown CMC armor. "Are you conscious?"

A presence tickled Ariel's mind, it's familiarity indicated Emily. Confusion gripped Emily as it did Ariel. They needed a plan of action.

Again, burrow was an option, but perhaps they were... overreacting. The essence they absorbed, the hatred that composed it's very existence, it was powerful but hardly overwhelming.

"Emily." Ariel stated. "Are you okay?"

It was a vague and blunt statement. But the initial shock was no longer present. They changed. They were stronger. Better than before. Evolved. Feelings of assurance gave Ariel her answer. Emily was surprised, but fine, reinforcing her wellness by standing and armed to full height, no worst for wear.

Seconds bloomed into minutes, the Infested duo finally used to their new 'adaptations.' The doctor barring the name of Ariel Hanson was intrigued. Never before had she seen Infested terran 'evolve' in the same manner the Zerg typically are feared for. It was unprecedented. Exceptions to that fact bared to no one else other than Sarah Kerrigan, with the convenience of being exceptionally gifted in psionic prowess. Things that did not describe the former Hyperion Doctor. Nor the Infested medic for that matter.

More ponderings to think upon at a later date.

With mental and physical stature displaying green bills of health, their original plan of action never out of mind.

The thought of another encounter with the Black Beast's was enticing, but exploration took priority. Splitting up was out of the question. With their point of meeting reached they required direction.

Purpose.

"Let's go." Ariel patted Emily's armor but her stride was without pause. Emily silently followed.

The telltale salt infused breeze bellowed from the direction Ariel strolled, thick legs gorged in muscle propelling the determination within her forward.

Winds that carried salty winds suggested ocean. Ocean meant food and the potential for intelligent life. Beach fishing was far from a lost practice but it remained a particularly Terran practice. Regardless of whether or not they would meet actual sentient life, Ariel _felt_ hunger tickle at her stomach pits. Ariel certainly did not think it was foolish to believe aquatic life lived within vast bodies of water. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Jungle brush eroded away in comparison to the clearing they stumbled upon.

Pure white sand wide and far engulfed the seashore, relentlessly destroying all who opposed it's white kingdom. The pale moon's glow and the white sand we're allies at night, both stubbornly unmoving in the white glory that shadowed the coast. Untainted unlike the black beast whom wore masks of hatred. But Ariel didn't dislike them. A hatred as potent as theirs had to be pure. The essence they carried was truthful as is the need was unfiltered destruction they craved.

At the moment it did not matter. Far more pressing matters demanded attention.

Upon the white sand was a woman cloaked in a black bikini that poorly concealed the fit model to the world, her healthy stack of abs likely not just for show, allowing with a bust that would seduce envy from many woman. Hair hued the same as her bathing suit cascaded to the winds will, a fishing pole and chair painting a very clear picture. Apparently, luck was feeling quite generous this night.

But with its revelation came a whole nother explosion of unfortunate complications. The woman was human, feline ears or not. Or perhaps she was a sub-species of human? Probably just a mutation of some sort. Couldn't be no less than her mid-twenties. Her presence here meant civilization, or at the very least a town. Close too if her attire was any indication.

Ariel glanced at Emily, orange meeting orange, before returning back to the peaceful scene.

What should they do? It wasn't asked. It didn't need to.

Dr. Ariel Handson cursed herself for not presenting an answer.

* * *

 _Hey guys! Note entirely sure when I'll pop up the next Chapter, but I'll see if it won't be within the week or so! So stay awesome my lovelies, and remember to let your thoughts known by Reviewing sometime, it would really help me out! Till next time!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey tater-tots, my goodness, supremely sorry for the hiatus. Very short Chapter, crafted more so to let you all be aware I am back and back for good! I've been fairly busy with college things.. Life things. Stuff, I suppose. Very, very busy truthfully. Updates should proceed as scheduled from now on. Weekly, maybe one or two. At least one per week, I hope? At most two, but I **really** wanna continue this Story of mine. So without further-ado, let's continue. Thank you for the love and support! Enjoy!_

* * *

Answers were hardly forthcoming. Ariel vowed to never let the whispers of bootleg movies and spotty cartoon with cliché plots clog her perception of the truth again. No matter how enticing their sweet, oh so sweet endings may have been. Was her people's twice failed attempts peaceful colonization not enough proof?

But what goal could she accomplish right now? Better yet, how? The nighttime was not as short as her mind adamantly sought to believe nor was the sun passionate in it's goal to burn the flesh off her body. The point lodged itself in Ariel's mind to point out the simple fact that this moment, was a choice.

Revelation was a fool's demon. Infested like them would be viewed upon as a rot to burn. Blemishes suffering their own existence. Ariel knew this well. It's how she felt when the concept of being Infested hit far closer to her home than anticipated.

Assimilation was for a purpose right? The ideal unification dared to poke into Ariel's blemished frame of mind was once just as it was offered as. An idea. No constitution nor belief would ever unite humanity on all sides. They're was simple too much diversity for such optimistic ideals to condense. Human beings were like different blends of trash trying to become a stockpile of garbage that resembles something beautiful, something Ariel experienced that they could not do so alone. But the Zerg. They were unified weren't they? No, not without a commanding will and no, definitely without a goal in mind, but when enthralled by another of their own kind? They were a super organism.

Ariel internally chuckled to herself. Truly this change, her status as an 'Infested Terran', coiled a tighter grip on her mind than she perceived.

The moonlight made her shine. Though her brown colored carapace argued with the pale light, Ariel found that she liked her chitin brownness. But the moonlight truly accented the cat-eared woman in earnest. It's dim illumination reminded Ariel of the great Panther from old Earth.

But the situation remained the same, dangling the same two options of choice for Ariel to ultimately make a decision upon.

Revelation was a risk in itself, and entirely presumptuous the women before her was as open minded as Ariel pathetically hoped. And should such foolish hope prove false, well... things would have little choice but to get bloody...

Hiding was a safer, and actually far more logic gamble. Not to mention it did not carry the consequences of death with it. Yet for all it's comforts, it was a decision that would limit not only Ariel and Emily's capacity for travel, but also miss out on an opportunity to gain information about where, exactly, they are. Not to undermine the very real probability of drawing Dominion forces to their location. Zerg Infestation was definitely a big no-no to them.

Ariel questioned Emily on her thoughts. Emily cared not Ariel's decision, so long as she followed through with her decision. No regrets that way, as she put it.

The time of dread summoned itself and before thought caught up to Ariel, her actions had her legs. Ariel had no plan to even explain herself, nor heads nor of how to specifically ensure the women she was really uncertain about approaching failed to react in the manner Ariel expected would sound eerily similar to frightened screaming.

"N-nice night today, isn't it?" The infested accent most definitely didn't help matters, but it was far too late to turn back now. Emily would call down all Seven Hell's is she suspected her holding doubt now.

The woman's feline ears perked, Ariel already parting her lips by the time the women turned to move.

"Wait! Don't turn around please! I'm not..." Ready for anyone to bare witness to me, to call me out at the monstrous spawn I've warped into. "Very nice to look at." Ariel completed her sentence, understating her true belief beneath depths of foolish hope.

With rooted shock Ariel could hardly express, the women merely nodded, smiling as she did. Odd.

"It is nice. This is my favorite spot in Menagerie. The view is quite spectacular, is it not?"

Ariel beat her anxiety into submission, glowing eyes gazing along the rippling waters warring against the whitest of sands in earnest.

"It is." Ariel voiced her honesty. "I can see why you like to gaze upon it."

The woman chuckled. It registered to Ariel's biological audio receptors as a purr. "I'm glad you agree. My husband does not exactly share my opinion."

Ariel looked at the woman in shock, the gesture in futility with the exception of the black manned woman sprouting eyes on the back of her head.

"Why?"

"He thinks of it as a mockery of why we were placed here. Views Menagerie as a cage of sorts. Offering just a little freedom just to keep us Faunus happy."

Ariel bided little time to ponder over her words, less the conversation become a distant memory. Understanding the potential for disaster should she pry any further, the Infested doctor clicked her mandibles, absent of thought in that small second. A mistake. A sharp panic overtook her at senses. The very inhumane noise would have to sprout miracles to not be noticed. Curious how the feline ears twitched at the sound.

All this feline beauty offered was yet another quiet laugh. It's incarnation to unexpected, so many leaps away from Ariel's expectation, the good infested doctor had not words to say.

"Pardon?"

The woman's muted chuckle resonated slightly louder. Her raised arm did Spartan to stifle her amusement.

"Oh my, please do forgive my dear. Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Sure?" A tiny compliance. The black manned woman's actions whispered nothing but kindness. A palpable inverse to the black beast she slayed.

"What's your name?"

The question challenged Ariel guard, her mind double looping in response. Simple as it appeared, Ariel knew the oh-so human mind games many subconscious devised so much time and energy into. But the respect for her selfish wishes and ill noble desires demanded retribution. Surely harm could not spawn from merely stating her identification? It's not though she is well-known throughout the Koprolu Sector.

"I- My name... is Handson. Dr. Ariel Handson." Her vocal cords sung this with audible pride, heedless of the potential trouble it was well worth.

"Mmm. A beautiful name." Ariel certainly liked to think this woman skipped over the doctor part in her head. In her puddle of mental ignorance, she hardly wanted to, nor could she at the moment, answer any questions pertaining to where she received her doctorate. Thankfully, luck seemed to bless her fortunate. "It was my pleasure to make your acquaintance, Dr. Handson. My name, is Kali Belladonna."

/ - / - / - /

The farewell felt false, even as Ariel retreated deeper into somewhat familiar territory with Emily drifting her. Kali Belladonna was an experience, that was an absolute truth. Ariel pondered why she had never encountered such a bright light like the woman before her. Ironic considering her fear of the sun's rays. Ariel wouldn't call it heliophobia, just... well she couldn't claim that. Her fear was irrational after all, but alas, she digressed. The 'Faunus' was so kind, so compassionate. It was never expressed directly; the feline woman's voice just carried the aura of empathy Ariel had not words to describe for it.

The departure was one of peace. Kali exclaimed that Ariel may return her whenever she wished, purring as she leaned back into the night's embrace and Ariel herself crossed pale sands back towards where Emily half snoozed, half mumbled against a particularly hefty piece of bark.

The night was still young. Yet for all her worth, tiredness dragged the Infested doctor's feet. Her flesh pulsed and pulled at itself for every step that indented the cold desert sands. The cave was reached at last, the Creep a small ally in Ariel's war for rest.

Yet her mind pondered onward.

Contact with Mrs. Belladonna said so much. She called herself Faunus. She noted her cat-ears. Did they deem her a Faunus? What exactly contributed to denounce such a difference from basic humans to these 'Faunus' wasn't well known to Ariel, and it was doubtful Emily fared any better. But it wouldn't be here to summarize a hazard guess if nothing else. Then there was this 'Menagerie'. Was it a city? A town? Perhaps even a country. Ariel didn't have geographical information. She was grasping as straws full of thought and hope. An awfully terrible mentality for any self-respecting pioneer of science to maintain.

"Emily... Are you awake?"

Emily was not a talker in any sense. Whether mutation or by choice, it was a guess at best, because she failed to elaborate. But she was awake. That was enough.

"I'm thinking we should figure out where Miss Belladonna came from." Ariel sensed the medic's question. Emily's confusion was soothed swiftly. "She said she came from this 'Menagerie'. A village or a town. Maybe a city, I don't know. And I doubt she lives alone." Kali may indeed share a residency with other, possibly this 'Ghira'. She couldn't be certain, but the infested doctor chalked it up to a significant likelihood.

There were undoubtedly more of them. How many, however, was unclear. They could be in great numbers, dwelling within heavily urban areas. But Ariel deemed this unlikely. So close to their border, they would have seen something by now, a hovercar or transport. Something to denote a technological presence. Not to mention they loud noises cities are often well known for. No. They were in a jungle or sorts. Something usually killed to make space for more artificial constructs. Ariel could only conclude with relative certainty, that Kali had to have come from a village or small town of sorts.

"I think we should go tomorrow. Just a few hours after Dawn. The sooner the better... What do you think?"

It was a significant risk. Discovery would be a persistent nuisance, a fatal revelation, yet their prolonged ignorance was far from blissful and would lead then to destruction later than sooner. But it would occur if they did nothing. That was... unacceptable.

"We'll need weapons too. Our encounter with those black creatures was... jarring." An understatement. "There could be more. A lot more. Different sub-species even. I..." Her mandibles clicked nervously. "We don't know what they are. And I know it might be a stretch, yes, but surely it's far better to be safe then sorry, right?" A desperation to alleviate potential disagreement, as well as revalue her own logic. Her adventurous mindset punished itself for her narrow objectivity. Those black beast, their essence felt like a rotten sugar, a poisonous sweet Ariel knew would bring so much more harm than benefit. The clear cut potentiality carried a fragrance of death and slaughter. Doubtlessly the calmed moonlights and musky jungle heats carried more of them, but it was not impossible to suggest their were more. Stronger, powerful, and, in the context of importance, deadly variants very much willing and able to kill herself and Emily in their entirety.

"I can't do this without you Emily." Ariel confessed. "I need your support on this. I know... I know it's a risk but... I'm almost certain it's in our best interest to learn about our Terran neighbors. Or whatever else is here with us."

The silence festered like an infected boil, just waiting to burst free from it's noiseless confines. Ariel mandibles clicked, nervous uncertainty rising if only for the lack of response from the fellow infested. Hearing without speaking was a remarkable phenomenon, but that failed to ease Ariel's growing apprehensions.

Still. She trusted Emily's resolve.

That would have to be enough.


End file.
